In 1491, Spain was on the verge of victory in its final war against the Emirate of Granada. Despite their imminent defeat, the Moors refused to surrender. In truth, the Templars had captured Emir Muhammad XII in his palace of Alhambra; their plan was force him to prolong the war indefinitely so as to exhaust the Spanish treasury from funding Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas. Towards the end of the year, the Spanish launched yet another attack on the capital of Granada in their months-long siege. During this last assault, the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze infiltrated the Alhambra, freed Muhammad XII from the Templars and persuaded him to surrender.